On December 27, Scottsbluff Public Schools was notified that the District has been awarded a School Based Mental Health (SBMH) Services Grant by the US Department of Education. The purpose of the School Based Mental Health Grant program is to provide competitive grants to State Educational Agencies (SEAs), Local Educational Agencies (LEAs), and consortia of LEAs to increase the number of credentialed mental health services providers providing school-based mental health services to students in LEAs with demonstrated need.
This five-year, $6.3M grant is the largest competitive award ever received by Scottsbluff Public Schools. Dr. Wendy Kemling, SBPS Executive Director of Student Services, led the grant writing effort and will oversee its implementation.
“Scottsbluff Public Schools is honored to be awarded a School Based Mental Health Grant,” said Dr. Andrew Dick, SBPS Superintendent. “The grant will allow us to continue the successful programs and services piloted through our current School Climate Transformation Grant, as well as expand our already existing mental health services. SBPS is committed to pursuing alternative funding sources which allow us to maintain our current programming, while also continuing our focus on innovation and providing the highest level of support to meet the needs of each and every student.”
Dr. Wendy Kemling said, “We are so excited to have been chosen as one of 102 grantees across the nation. This competitive federal grant will build on our successes and give us the resources to expand programming to allow us to further address our students’ mental health and well-being which will bring substantial and long-term benefits to our students, families, and community.”
Scottsbluff Public School District’s School Based Mental Health Services Grant is designed to strengthen the District’s ongoing implementation of strategies in the areas of trauma informed practices, restorative practices, universal support practices and systems, and other areas that promote healthy student behaviors and attitudes. The grant dollars will fund school based mental health work such as professional development and training for teachers and staff, social and emotional screening to better identify students with behavioral and emotional needs to initiate timely administration of interventions, expand licensed mental health therapy services to students, and expansion of interventions to ensure all students who are struggling with behavioral and emotional issues have access to support.
To support this work, SBPS will hire school based social workers for the five year duration of the grant.
“In addition to providing a mechanism for sustaining current successful district programs while also expanding existing mental health services, this federal grant will invest a significant portion of the $6.3M directly into our local economy,” Dick said.
Including this recently received award, SBPS has received over $11.5M in competitive grant funding over the past five years. Additional competitive grants received by the District include the Sixpence Grant for Early Childhood Education, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers After School Program Grants at all in town elementary schools, expansion grants for Bear Cub Preschool, Federal School Climate Grant funds received districtwide, the Nebraska Educator Shortage Grant, and the Innovation Grant received for Career Academies at Scottsbluff High School.
